John O'Keeffe

This portraitback to top

The portrait was painted in Dublin where O'Keefe had been a popular actor before failing eyesight had forced him to take up writing for the stage instead of acting. The noticeably bright eyes and cheerful expression give no suggestion of this catastrophe which began in 1770 and ended in total blindness in 1797. The Agreable Surprise, a comic opera with music by Dr Arnold, was first produced at the Haymarket in 1781. The picture was accompanied on acquisition by some letters from Catharine West and H. G. Hine now in NPG archive. Catharine West wrote: 'It was painted in Dublin by Lawranson, a promising artist who died young, and has never been out of the possession of Mr Keefe and his daughter. She has always taken it about with her since his death, and now, having no settled home and feeling extra luggage a trouble, being in her 85th year, she presented it to me last autumn … the great age and increasing infirmities of the poor old lady induced me to put a price upon it (£50), as I shall, of course, immediately hand it over to her' (letter to H. G. Hine 21 May 1863).

Physical descriptionback to top

Half-length to right holding the script of The Agreable Surprise, in a reddish-brown coat, green waistcoat, white lace-trimmed shirt-frill and cuffs, grey powdered hair, pale brown eyes, pink close-shaved complexion; plain dark background with red curtain to left.

Provenanceback to top

O'Keefe family possession and given in 1862 by his daughter to Catharine West; sold by her to H. G. Hine of Kentish Town and by him to the NPG 1863.

Exhibitionsback to top

Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (106); 'Arts Industries and Manufactures', Dublin, 1872 (165).

Reproductionsback to top

Line engravings by J. Corner for The European Magazine, 1 August 1788, by Blackberd for Bellamy's Picturesque Magazine, 1 August 1793, by Freeman (with artist's name as De Wilde) 1805, and by T. Bragg for O'Keefe's Recollections, 1826, frontispiece.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Walker, Regency Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, 1985, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.

View all known portraits for John O'Keeffe